Rights for All: The Human Rights of Rural Citizens. Keynote Address.

The Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission visited over 50 communities throughout Australia to assess the state of human rights in rural, regional, and remote Australia. Education and health services predominated the discussions. Rural children, especially Aboriginal children, have lower school attendance and completion rates than urban children, and they must travel long distances to school. Distance education is inadequately funded and is hampered by lack of telecommunications infrastructure. There is a lack of sporting and cultural opportunities for rural students. Many Aboriginal communities have no access to secondary education, and the education that is available is not culturally relevant. There is a lack of support in rural areas for children with special needs. Concerning health services, it was found that health needs increase, but the level of health care drops, as one moves from urban to remote areas. There is a shortage of general practitioners, nurses, dentists, specialists, and other health professionals, and in some areas practitioners do not treat patients under the arrangements of the national health insurance scheme, leaving poor people without access to any medical care. Indicators are worse yet for Indigenous people in remote areas. The commission will be disseminating successful local initiatives that it did find. The commission is also building a national support network for gay, lesbian, and bisexual rural youth. Other rights being violated in rural areas are discussed. (TD)